Summer Visit The Rodeo
by SjaySmile
Summary: This is a story I wrote based off of real life crossed with the world of Harry Potter. Albus is staying with Aj during the summer and they go to a rodeo. If you're looking for a story based off of the books, or the movies, this isn't one you'll enjoy.


Aj sat at the kitchen counter, talking to her brothers. "Wait so are we going?" Excitement was pulsing through her veins and she couldn't keep the smile off her face. All it took was a simple nod before she squealed with excitement, hugged her brothers, and bounded up the stars. "Potter!" She called loudly. There were no words to describe how happy she was that Albus had come to visit her this summer. She'd gone to stay with his family a million times, but this was only his second or third time staying with her. It was out of his normal area and she knew sometimes he felt way too uncomfortable, but he was here and that was all that mattered to Aj. Swinging the door open to her room, he was pulling a shirt on over his head and whipped around, caught off guard. She watched as he started to wobble from spinning so quickly, and then toppled over, falling into the doors of her closet. "I yelled at you as I was coming up, so that wasn't my fault." She said with a laugh.

Walking over to him, she extended her arm to help him up. The black haired boy looked at her, confused and lost, standing up and pulling his shirt all the way on. "What's up?" He said, straightening his shirt. As Aj was about to answer, she noticed his hair. He'd obviously tried to style it himself, in a way that was way beyond unattractive. Before she spoke she lifted her hands and ruffled it lightly, pulling it up in some places and doing it up the way she knew he'd been trying to do it. When she was finished, she smiled at him, with an excited, childish grin. He grew anxious and concerned. "You're making me nervous." Without saying anything, she opened up the door to her closet and pulled out a cowboy hat, placing it on his head. "Saddle up, because tonight is your first rodeo, Potter." She giggled as he scrunched his nose and let out a groan. Wrapping her arms around him in a hug, Aj told him when they were leaving and then patted him on the back. Right before she left the room he called out, "Fine! But I'm wearing the hat!"

**Five Hours Later**

It was impossible not to laugh at Albus, sitting in the bleachers looking confused at what was going on in front of him. A horse jumped the hurdles, and people watched and cheered, many of them more intoxicated than they should be. The air smelled of stale popcorn and strong beer. Aj looked over at him, seeing the hat still firmly placed upon his head, and shook her head lightly. She smiled and reached over, linking their arms. "I don't understand the point of this!" He yelled over the ruckus, his accent thick in his words. The blonde didn't know what to tell him, because there wasn't much of a point. It was something she'd been seeing since she was little, and never really thought much about it. It was just entertainment, and that didn't have to have a point. After turning around and saying something to her brothers, she grabbed his hand and pulled him from the bleachers. "Come on," She yelled to him, "We'll take a walk and you can get some quiet!" He nodded in appreciation.

After getting their hands stamped for reentry, they headed out of the stadium and into what would be the fairgrounds in a month or two. Right now it was just dead grass and a few left over paper cups from other events. Her boots clunked as they walked along the paved walkways, getting farther and farther away from the sound. "So you really enjoy that?" She nodded and shrugged. "It's not for everyone. But it only comes around a few times a year, and I wanted you to have a part in something I love." Aj shrugged again and smiled at him. Earlier on in the evening she'd pulled on his sweatshirt, which fell down to mid-thigh from the height difference. She crossed her arms over her chest, hugging the sweatshirt closer to her. "Why do your brothers look at me the way they do?" He asked out of the blue, a slight hint of shyness in his voice. Aj looked up at creased her eyebrows in confusion. "They look at me like… I don't know, like I'm from another planet sometimes. I see your whole family do it." He bit his lower lip, obviously feeling bad for bringing it up. His eyes watched the pavement as they walked.

Aj thought for a second and then shrugged. "They're not used to wizards or witches or anything of the kind. It's hard enough for them to understand me, let alone have another wizard in the house." She didn't necessarily know if that was the reasoning, but it was the best she could do at guessing. She ran a hand through her long hair and sighed. Even though she'd just answered, she was racking her brain for something better than that. Something to make him feel a little better, or explain the situation. But she couldn't really think of one. "And, well… After you told them about your dad, everything he went through and who he is in the wizarding world… They kind of.. I don't know. It's complicated." She looked at him, and saw that her answers might have been making things worse. "Look, my family can be stupid sometimes. You know they don't understand things, and they can be ignorant.. Don't think too much into it. You're only here for me anyway." Aj offered a soft smile. He was still quiet for a bit more, as they walked on. She didn't risk saying anything, in case he were to feel worse or to get nervous about staying.

"My mom was nervous about my staying here, in the muggle world. After knowing how the Dursley's treated my father, she was worried about how you'd all treat me here." Aj didn't quite know what to say to that. It was a little harsh, that Mrs. Potter didn't trust her family. And even worse that she was comparing them to the Dursley's. Instead of saying anything, she simply nodded her head in understanding and continued on walking. "I want you to know," He stopped her, turning to face her in the middle of the pavement and looking into her eyes. "I'm here visiting because of you, against all other things that told me not to come. I'm here to see you because I didn't want to go a whole summer without seeing you, and I knew you couldn't come out this year." His tone was soft and gentle, yet serious. Then, he threw his arms around her and pulled her so close it was hard for her to breathe for a second or two. Caught a little off guard, she blinked a few times before hugging him back, pulling him close and breathing in his familiar scent.

Then, just like that, the moment seemed to be over. He pulled back and for a second she could have sworn there were tears in his eyes. But when he spoke, regular Albus was back and he smiled. "Should we head back now?" Her head was spinning a little from the conversations and from everything that had just gone on. It wasn't that they never talked about anything serious. They did quite often, actually. This just seemed different, more intense than normal. Finally, Aj nodded and grabbed his hand, swinging it as they headed back to the stadium.


End file.
